Neurosis of the heart: symptoms and treatment

Neurosis of the heart is one of the few paradoxical situations in medicine when there are certain violations on the part of some organ (in this case, the heart), but the organ itself is healthy. With neurosis of the heart, heart rhythm disturbances develop, various pains appear in the region of the heart and thorax. All this can lead the patient to a state of panic, as sometimes accompanied by fear of death. But, no matter how strange it may sound, the heart itself is absolutely healthy. The reason for the neurosis of the heart is the violation of the regulation of its activity by the nervous system (in the overstrain of its vegetative divisions) most often against the background of psychoemotional overloads. As soon as the problem in the nervous system is leveled, all the symptoms from the heart immediately disappear. What does neurosis of the heart itself show, how to distinguish it from other diseases of this organ, how to fight with an ailment, you will learn from this article.

Neurosis of the heart (cardioneurosis) is not an independent disease according to the International Classification of Diseases. This condition is considered in the framework of psychosomatic diseases, in particular vegetovascular dystonia. In another way, neurosis of the heart is sometimes called neurocirculatory dystonia. All these formulations reflect the true cause of heart neurosis. And it consists in the imbalance of the regulatory influences of the nervous system on the cardiac muscle. The heart works without the participation of our thoughts, no matter how autonomous. But there is a vegetative nervous system, which provides such a relatively autonomous work. It can cause the heart to beat faster or slower, regulates blood flow in the vessels. With a variety of stressful effects that the nervous system has not coped with, the tone of the autonomic nervous system is increasing. This tension does not pass without a trace, including for the heart. And then, with a perfectly healthy heart, a person has pain, discomfort in the chest, a feeling of palpitation, a feeling of lack of air and the like. Of course, such violations do not occur with each stressful effect. Usually for the appearance of neurosis of the heart, a prolonged overstrain of the nervous system is necessary. But, once appearing, in the future without treatment, the symptoms of neurosis are caused by physical exertion, and even appear on their own, and not only as a result of psychotraumatic situations.

So, neurosis of the heart is not a "problem" of the heart, as we have already explained. But the symptoms of this condition are almost all "heartfelt." Let us dwell on them in more detail.

Symptoms

Neurosis of the heart manifests itself mainly by two signs: pain in the heart and violation of the heart rhythm. But behind the apparent simplicity of the symptoms there are many pitfalls.

Pain syndrome

The pain attack with cardioneurosis can have a different duration and character.

For the neurosis of the heart is characterized by paroxysmal onset of pain. The appearance of pain can be triggered by excitement (for example, a quarrel with a loved one, passing an exam) or physical exertion. Less pain with neurosis of the heart occurs without any apparent cause. The duration of the attack can be different: from several minutes (which happens less often) to several hours. Pain can only bother the patient a few times a year, and can be repeated more than once a day.

One of the features of the pain syndrome with neurosis of the heart is a great variety of its character. What does this mean? And the fact that the pain in the neurosis of the heart can be, by and large, any: any whining, and shooting, and stitching, and compressing or squeezing, and baking. At the same time, there is no regularity in the character of the pain syndrome in one patient. Attacks of pain may be the same, but may each occur differently. The only thing that unites them, it's almost always bright emotional coloring. The feeling of pain in the heart or chest area with heart neurosis almost always makes the patient afraid for their lives. Often the appearance of pain is associated with a feeling of lack of air, which aggravates the already negative emotions. Sometimes a painful attack leads to a panic attack. For patients with neurosis of the heart, fussiness is typical at the time of the attack, which manifests itself not only in emotions ("it is necessary to do something"), but also in excessive movements. Patients rush into unsuccessful attempts to adopt a posture that will ease the pain. This pain syndrome in neurosis differs from the true pain in the heart with an attack of angina, when patients, on the contrary, freezes, trying to do as little as possible movements, because the latter can intensify the pain.

In fact, any pain in the heart with his neurosis is quite harmless, because they are not at all dangerous to life. In addition to unpleasant sensations and emotional experiences, this pain carries nothing more, because the heart muscle itself remains perfectly healthy, blood flow through the vessels of the heart is not disturbed. But this fact is very difficult to convey to the patient himself. A person with a neurosis of the heart at the time of an attack can be so scared that nothing can convince him of the opposite.

When a patient with a neurosis describes her feelings at the time of an attack of pain in the heart, it is very often possible to hear such colorful formulations as:

• "The heart is clenched in a vice";
• "The heart becomes numb";
• "The heart is covered with ice";
• "The heart is about to burst";
• "The heart burns with fire."

The onset of pain can be accompanied by excessive sweating, a feeling of coma in the throat. The pain itself can have different localization, that is, it is felt not only in the heart zone. Often patients point to the irradiation of pain in the area of ​​the left scapula, the left arm, the lower jaw, teeth, spine and even genital organs.

Almost every person knows that if pain occurs in the heart, you must try to take Nitroglycerin or Validol under your tongue. So, with neurosis of the heart, these drugs will not have any effect on pain. And this fact is one of the criteria for differentiating the causes of pain in the heart. Nitroglycerin and Validol reduce pain in angina pectoris, dilating the blood vessels of the heart and causing an increase in blood flow.

Heart rhythm disturbances

This sign of neurosis of the heart is less diverse than the pain syndrome. In most cases, an attack of pain in the heart area is accompanied by a palpitation, that is, an increase in heart rate. At the same time, there is sometimes a feeling that every heart beats in every cell of the body, pulsation is heard everywhere. Sometimes such feelings can be present even without a rapid heart rate.

The second variant of disturbances of a warm rhythm at a neurosis of heart is an arrhythmia, that is infringement of a regularity cardiac contractions (when different time intervals arise between individual strokes of the heart). At such a moment the patient can say that it seems to him that the heart has stopped ("the heart has stopped").

Both variants of heart rhythm disturbances can be fixed with ECG or Holter monitoring (daily ECG record). With a neurosis of the heart, there may be single extrasystoles (extraordinary cardiac contractions). If other cardiac rhythm disturbances are recorded during ECG (for example, blockade of the bundle's legs, atrial fibrillation, frequent extrasystoles, etc.) then the diagnosis of neurosis of the heart becomes unlikely, because these violations of the heart rhythm are provoked by other (real) problems with the heart. About which kind of violation of the heart rhythm is present in the patient, you can judge only by results of additional methods of examination (in particular, on ECG and Holter monitoring).

Often, the pain syndrome is combined with a palpitation.

Neurosis of the heart can occur at any age. In the group at risk, workaholics, emotionally unstable individuals. Neurosis is more common in women than in men.

As you can see, the symptoms of neurosis of the heart are not so rare. But the whole problem is to distinguish pain from neurosis of the heart (that is, when it is, in fact, healthy) from those with true heart disease. And here the difficulties begin, because for this it is not enough just to come to the doctor for an appointment and talk about your feelings. And in any case you can not independently diagnose yourself. Pain in the heart is always an occasion to visit a doctor. And in order to determine what causes the pain syndrome, the doctor will need both careful collection of complaints and close inspection, and the appointment of additional research methods. A minimal set of additional research methods in the presence of pain in the heart include ECG and ultrasound of the heart. Other examinations are appointed as necessary and taking into account the changes detected in ECG and ultrasound.

All this is necessary in the first place in order not to miss the real heart pathology. Such a diagnosis as "neurosis of the heart" has the right to exist only if additional methods of research prove the absence of other heart diseases.
Because, for example, an attack of constrictive pain behind the sternum may indicate angina pectoris, which is a harbinger of myocardial infarction. And this is a life-threatening condition. And there can be many such examples. Therefore, the primary task in the occurrence of pain in the heart is to exclude others, more serious and dangerous diseases (heart diseases, myocarditis, ischemic heart disease and so on). And only if a comprehensive examination reveals no problems, then the most likely diagnosis is "neurosis of the heart".

Treatment

After reading all of the above, it may seem that neurosis of the heart can not be treated, because it is not terrible for the body. The heart is fine, but the fact that "nervous nerves", so it is now in many. But to treat a neurosis of the heart is necessary, because if such symptoms are repeated, causing a person to worry and suffer each time, then this sooner or later can become a source of real organic heart disease, lead to a persistent increase in blood pressure. In general, the statement that all diseases from nerves, in this case as it is impossible by the way. Therefore, it is necessary to treat neurosis, so as not to "earn" a more severe diagnosis.

First of all, you need to learn how to deal with attacks. At the time of an attack, the following measures should be taken:

• Ensure the influx of fresh air (go outside, open the window, loosen the tie, unbutton the blouse or shirt, and so on);
• try to breathe slowly and slowly;
• if the attack is provoked by some factor from the outside, then try to eliminate it (stop the physical load, complete the quarrel and the like);
• if possible, it is better to take a horizontal position;
• try to get away from your feelings. This can be facilitated by counting in the mind on the contrary or by successively subtracting from 100 numbers 7, humming your favorite song and so on;
• measure blood pressure, count the pulse to make sure that there are no objective circulatory disorders;
• take a tincture of valerian or motherwort, drops Corvalol or Valocordinum, Barboval, Ravkin's medicine;
• if the pain syndrome persists, the condition does not improve, then it is necessary to call the ambulance brigade.

When stopping an attack with the help of the above measures during the day, you should try not to provoke a recurrence of the attack. If necessary - continue taking sedatives (the same Corvalol, Barboval and others).

In addition to the measures taken at the time of the attack, most often for the treatment of neurosis of the heart it is necessary to resort to medical therapy for a while for the normalization of the psycho-vegetative sphere. For this purpose, sedatives (both herbal and chemical preparations), tranquilizers (Adaptol, Gidazepam) can be used. The spectrum of sedatives is very wide (Phytosod, Deprim, Novo-Passit, Tenoten, Nervocheel, Sedaphyton and others).The choice of a particular drug is the prerogative of the attending physician. What to apply in each individual case, sedative or tranquilizer, decides the doctor, given the severity of the course of attacks, their frequency and duration.
Course use of these tools can solve the problem of heart neurosis.

Sometimes there may be need for courses of drugs that improve metabolism in the brain and have a sedative effect (for example, Glycine, Phenibut). The most important thing is to realize that the disease is not a threat. This is such a kind of psychotherapy. Because in this case, seizures lose their heavy emotional color and are more easily tolerated by the sick.

Since neurosis of the heart is based on psychosomatic problems, all means are used for recovery, allowing people to return to peace. It is necessary to normalize the mode of work and rest, to provide full sleep and rational nutrition, walking in the fresh air. Positive influence is exercised by a favorite thing (hobby), because it allows the sick person to receive satisfaction, and therefore, balances the processes in the nervous system.

Thus, neurosis of the heart - this is actually not such a terrible diagnosis, as it seems to many. In any case, certainly not dangerous. The heart remains healthy in this state, and the true cause of all complaints is in the nervous system. Neurosis of the heart must be treated. This will require a small range of drugs, confidence in the harmlessness of the problem and a little patience. The disease will recede without leaving a trace.

Useful information about cardioneurosis:

Cardioneurosis: symptoms, treatment recommendations

Watch this video on YouTube